The Chuck Yeager GMT: Japan Goes Crazy For The Flyboys Again And Creates Some Rolex Kitsch

Rolex and Chuck Yeager have a long history together, hell, he's even got his own page on the Rolex website. Yaeger was wearing a Rolex when he broke the sound barrier at the helm of the X-1 and was wearing another one when he did it again behind the stick of an F-15 a half century later.

In the mid 1990s, a Japanese company called the Real McCoy's. This company took a few GMT-Masters (conflicting reports say it was either 50, 100, or 200) and customized them to honor Mr. Yeager. "Chuck Yeager" was written in red on the dial and "The Real McCoy's" was printed in white. The case backs were also engraved to look likethis. Now the Japanese LOVE their aviators (as proven by the creation of a unique Space-themed version of the Explorer called the Spacedweller in the 1960s), and this Chuck Yeager GMT sold out very quickly, despite it not being actually produced by Rolex themselves.

These watches are controversial among Rolex collectors for a few reasons. Some die-hards have no interest because the watch was not produced by Rolex. Others see it as a very rare and very unique customized watch, years before the likes of Bamford came around. No matter your opinion, these watches are exceedingly rare to find, especially with the original papers from The Real McCoys, which is exactly what we've found today.

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Friday March 3, 2012

HODINKEE is one of the most widely read wristwatch publications in the world. Launched in 2008 by then 25-year-old Benjamin Clymer, the site quickly gained notoriety for earnest looks at some of the industry’s most interesting, and occasionally forgotten timepieces.